NORTH Melbourne coach David Noble has implored his club to speak to the AFL about the prospect of applying for a priority pick at season's end, saying his winless side would be entitled to League support as things stand.
The Kangaroos currently have a dismal 0-8 record this season and have lost 16 straight games dating back to August last year, having just started a drastic list overhaul that saw 14 players depart Arden Street at the conclusion of last season.
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The club began its rebuild with two first-round picks at last December's NAB AFL Draft, recruiting midfield duo Will Phillips and Tom Powell, but believe AFL assistance in the form of a priority pick would help fast-track the process.
"I'd love one, absolutely I'd love one. Why wouldn't we?" Noble said on Thursday.
"If we were in a situation where that mechanism could be activated, then I'm all for it. Absolutely.
"At the previous place I was (Brisbane), we applied for it. If it helps us and we feel we're entitled to that mechanism being activated, then absolutely. Absolutely."
North Melbourne has won just one of its previous 23 matches in a disastrous period for the club, with its development this season being stalled by a host of senior players being unavailable due to injury.
Having not secured a maiden victory in his brief tenure to date, the first-year coach believes the Kangaroos would be entitled to AFL support should the season be stopped at its current point.
"I think it may be a bit early," Noble said.
"(But) if you stopped it now, then yeah we do (deserve a priority pick). We could do with a bit more help. The rest of the year will probably determine that, but we're certainly interested in speaking to the AFL about a pick.
"It's probably from an admin perspective, I don't know whether those conversations have started to be had. But from a coaching sense, I'd certainly be keen for the club to talk to the AFL about it."
Noble was part of Brisbane's system that received an end-of-first round priority pick from the AFL in 2016, which the Lions then flipped for pick No.22 from Gold Coast and a future first-round selection from Port Adelaide.
It saw the club add Cedric Cox to its successful 2016 NAB AFL Draft haul, where it also secured Hugh McCluggage, Jarrod Berry and Alex Witherden, as well as giving the club leverage to trade for Charlie Cameron the next year.
Noble flagged both as being potential options for North Melbourne later this season, should it be granted a priority pick from the AFL as a result of its struggles throughout the current campaign.
"It gives you flexibility," Noble said.
"Within the strategy of your list management, you either bring additional talent in or you've got the flexibility to manoeuvre your way through the Trade Period. You can also trade something forward into the future and that banks you something forward as well.
"It's part of an overall strategy for us as a club and it becomes a pretty big discussion point."